Woodside LNG truck-loading facility set for launch

Australian energy firm Woodside has confirmed it will officially open its LNG truck-loading facility at the Pluto plant this month to supply LNG to customers and communities in Western Australia.

Woodside COO Meg O’Neill touted the "locally-produced lower-emissions fuel" at the AOG Conference recently, saying the company will be "making a significant contribution to emissions reductions globally by offering energy users the opportunity to switch to cleaner burning natural gas".

The company confirmed in its 2018 annual report that construction had commenced but start-up "was not achieved as planned in 2018 with delivery now expected in early 2019".

The facility will provide LNG for distribution by truck to the Pilbara, Kimberley and Gascoyne regions.

"In addition to providing LNG for remote power generation, we are working with mining companies and equipment manufacturers on the use of LNG as a heavy transport fuel for mining operations," the company notes.

Woodside has also "participated in joint industry projects to assess the feasibility for LNG to be used as a fuel for bulk carriers transporting iron ore from the Pilbara".

A video on the company’s website explains the fuel distribution hub will load LNG drawn directly from Pluto plant’s LNG production and storage facilities.

Trucks would enter via a dedicated entry road and the LNG would be transported in "highly engineered double-walled stainless-steel tankers", with one road train carrying the LNG equivalent to more than 80,000 litres of diesel.